


A Boy & His Mabari

by jkateel



Series: Fugitives Together [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-08
Updated: 2014-03-08
Packaged: 2018-01-15 00:12:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1283995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jkateel/pseuds/jkateel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Wait. Are you saying a mabari just picked me?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Boy & His Mabari

“Touch of a wolf in ‘im,” Barlin says about the wiggling ball of fluff trying to burrow his way into Garrett’s lap. “Don’t know when his mother even had the chance…”

Garrett laughs, and then lifts the puppy up. He’s the most unusual mabari pup he’s ever seen, with his long tan fur and long snout. His siblings look more normal, flat snouts and shorter, darker fur, like their mother. Garrett had been drawn over when he had seen them playing and tumbling around outside Barlin’s barn, but he hadn’t expected the stranger-looking pup to pause in what he was doing to turn to him. And then he had tackled him to the ground—for a creature that’s the size of a small pig, he’s already strong.  
  
“I think he likes you,” Barlin says with a smile, the puppy wiggling his entire backside as if agreeing. Garrett chuckles in amusement, before he almost drops the mabari when what Barlin said goes through his mind again. He looks up at the old farmer in surprise.  
  
“Wait. Are you saying a mabari just picked me?”  
  
The mabari woofs. Barlin’s smile grows, but Garrett is already shaking his head as he gets off the ground. “Barlin,” he says weakly, setting the puppy down, who immediately sits by his foot. “I-I don’t… I don’t have the money for a mabari, Barlin...”  
  
If he could be honest, he would say he didn’t have _any_ money. There’s barely enough to keep the family fed until he can get another job lined up. He hates having to admit that to Barlin though, and it’s only going to be embarrassing when he has to explain that to the mabari…  
  
“Keep ‘im.”  
  
Garrett looks back at Barlin in shock. The old farmer lifts his shoulder in a shrug. “He looks too wolfish — I’ll never be able to sell him to anyone in these parts. Besides, he’ll just follow you home, money or not.”  
  
Garrett knows he is gaping, but he can’t help it. “ _Barlin_ ,” he manages, but the old farmer holds up a hand.  
  
“Your father just passed, didn’t he?”  
  
That makes Garrett’s mouth shut tight. The mabari at his foot lets out a whimper, paw touching his foot.  
  
“He was a good man,” Barlin says, eyes on his barn door. Then he looks back, nodding at the puppy. “Mabari like yours — damn useful. You can teach ‘im how to hunt, he’ll guard yer house and yer livestock, and folks in these parts — they trust a man with a mabari, y’know?”  
  
Garrett swallows, hearing Barlin’s unspoken words. Everything’s gone wrong since Father died — the crop was small this year, with enough food for them, but nothing to sell; they can’t make potions for extra coin either, since elfroot won’t grow back ‘til spring. There’s work to be found outside Lothering, but that’s been a problem. The name Hawke means nothing out there, and most take a look at his skinny frame and immediately dismiss him…  
  
He looks down at the mabari, who stands up to wag his tail, and then back at Barlin. “I—" he begins, but Barlin cuts him off with a wave.  
  
“Don’t thank me, boy. Thank yer mabari. He’s the one making you respectable, not me.”  
  
Garrett smiles weakly. Oh, the irony of that. But Barlin has a point, and he turns toward his new friend. The puppy’s wiggling grows as Garrett bends down so they’re eye-to-eye. He jumps at him the moment Garrett is close enough, barking and licking his face. Garrett laughs, catching the puppy by the paws, before leaning back to look at him. There's something twisting in his gut that's making his eyes start to burn, and he has to swallow it down before it overwhelms him.  
  
“You may regret this,” he says instead to the pup, reaching up to pet his head. “I mean, wait until you meet _Carver._ ”  
  
The puppy barks happily, and Garrett smiles again.


End file.
